The invention is related to Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems. More specifically, the invention is related to systems and methods for determining when it would be proper or desirable to provide information to communicants of a telephony communication.
Presently, when a telephony communication is being setup between a calling party and a called party, it is possible to play audio to either the calling or called party before the telephony communication is actually established between the calling and called parties. Such audio is generally referred to as “early media.” The ring tone played to the calling party during call setup is an example of early media in its simplest form.
It would be desirable to use information about the calling or called party to deliver advanced or more tailored messages or information to calling and called parties, in the form of early media, before the telephony communication is established between the calling and called parties.